Interactive video distribution systems – Operator interface – To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-03
2003-02-18
Miller, John (Department: 2614)
Interactive video distribution systems
Operator interface
To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal
C386S349000, C386S349000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06523176
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reservation processing apparatus and a method for receiving broadcast data including mainview data and preview data, and for reserving mainview data corresponding to the preview data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, as an indication means to reserve a recording of a television broadcasting program by a video recorder or deck, there are a first method for directly indicating items such as channel and broadcast time period of a user's desired program, a second method for inputting a number by G code (Gemstar code) ID, and a third method for inputting a number by bar code ID. The G code ID corresponding to each TV program is already printed in a TV program magazine such as “weekly TV guide” in Japan. The bar code ID corresponding to each TV program is already printed in the TV program area of, for example, a newspaper. Therefore, the user scans the G code ID or the bar code ID corresponding to his desired TV program using a POS terminal connected to the video deck in order to reserve the recording.
However, in the first method, the number of indication items is large and the user's input operation is complicated. In the second method, the number of the G code ID is often erroneously inputted by the user. In addition to this, in the second method and the third method, extra fixed information (for example, a printed mark or sign) is necessary in the space of the TV magazine or newspaper.
In short, in an operation mechanism to reserve telerecording as the prior art, the user must input number, mark, or sign that is unrelated to the content of TV program. Therefore, operation is troublesome for the user, and input or operation error often occurs.
On the other hand, for a large number of actual broadcast data of TV program, the broadcast data includes mainview data and preview data in general. For example, in case the mainview data of a particular TV program is broadcast once a week, the preview data represents a summary of the next mainview data, which follows in a short time. However, in the prior art, the preview data cannot be used to reserve the recording of the next mainview data. In short, though the preview data including information of next mainview data is broadcast in advance, a method to reserve the recording of the next mainview data by using the preview data is not considered.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a reservation processing apparatus and method that can automatically reserve the recording of next mainview data of TV program by using the preview data broadcast with the present mainview data.
According to the present invention, there is provided a reservation processing apparatus, comprising: a data receiving means for receiving broadcast data including mainview data and preview data transmitted, the preview data representing information of the next mainview data as a sequel of the mainview data; a preview data record means for recording the preview data received by said data receiving means; a reservation list management means for extracting the information of the next mainview data from the preview data and for storing the information as a reservation list; and a reservation item execution means for recording the next mainview data according to the reservation list stored in said reservation list management means when said data receiving means receives the next mainview data transmitted.
Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a reservation processing method, comprising the steps of: receiving the broadcast data including mainview data and preview data transmitted, the preview data representing information of the next mainview data as a sequel of the mainview data; recording the preview data received at the receiving step; extracting the information of the next mainview data from the preview data; storing the information as a reservation list; and recording the next mainview data according to the reservation list stored at the storing step when the next mainview data is received.
Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable memory, comprising: an instruction means for causing a computer to receive broadcast data including mainview data and preview data transmitted, the preview data representing information of next mainview data as a sequel of the mainview data; an instruction means for causing a computer to record the preview data received; an instruction means for causing a computer to extract the information of next mainview data from the preview data; an instruction means for causing a computer to store the information as a reservation list;
and an instruction means for causing a computer to record the next mainview data according to the reservation list when the next mainview data is received.
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Imai Toru
Isobe Shozo
Natsubori Shigeyasu
Oyanagi Shigeru
Takahashi Toshiya
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Miller John
Shang Annan Q.
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